


Richie Tozier Swore He Would Never Get Married

by hazydraws



Category: IT (2017), IT - Stephen King
Genre: I think all of them are mentioned, M/M, i also didn't check it for errors so have fun, they might not do anything big but they're there, this has just been sitting in my computer for so long so come and read it and enjoy it, this is just cute until it gets sad
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-29
Updated: 2017-12-29
Packaged: 2019-02-23 08:05:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,638
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13185861
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hazydraws/pseuds/hazydraws
Summary: Richie Tozier made a lot of promises to himself while growing up, but there's only one he will keep.





	Richie Tozier Swore He Would Never Get Married

Richie Tozier swore he would never get married 

They were young when he announced that. None of them knew what marriage actually was, just that it was what mommy and daddy were. They only knew what it was from playing house, with one of them playing mom and one playing dad. Bill had chuckled and Stan rolled his big baby eyes. Eddie just gave a small smile, still nervous around the loud child. Richie stood on a table, promising he would never get married, until a teacher told him to get down. 

 

Richie Tozier swore he would never like anyone

He made this assessment awhile later, when girls started to like boys, some couples even starting among the young people. Richie knew he wouldn’t let himself be like that, he had too many other friends to be devoted to one person like that.   
“You really think you’ll never have feelings for anyone?” Stan asked after he made the statement.   
“Yeah! I mean, can’t be too hard, right? Most of the girls like other boys, and I don’t like them anyway! Liking someone is too much trouble,” Richie answered. He waved Stan’s question off.   
“Ever?” Eddie asked. Richie looked at the smaller boy. His cheeks were tinted with a soft pink. Richie could feel his doing the same.   
“I mean- I don’t plan to! I have you guys- I can’t have a relationship.” Eddie only nodded in response, looking away from Richie. Richie couldn’t shake the feeling he had said the wrong thing. 

 

Richie Tozier swore he would never date anyone

It was a promise he had made when he decided not to like anyone. So what if his stomach got funny around certain people? It’s not like he liked those people- or like he would ever date any of them! But he was starting to think that maybe he hadn’t been completely honest. He could no longer ignore the feelings he got around Eddie. He couldn’t ignore the way his smile made him felt, or the blush that painted Eddie’s cheeks when he flirted a bit more than normal. Now was one of those times. The two were alone at the quarry, just talking and teasing and making jokes. They had scooted closer to each other through the day, and as the sun started to set they were shoulder to shoulder, their bodies pressed together. Their teasing had calmed down for the most part, their conversation becoming quiet and intimate, although normal for the two. Their hands were brushing, playing with the idea of holding each other.   
Eddie broke the silence that had lasted many minutes, his voice quiet and nervous, “Richie... how do you feel about boys?”  
The question surprised Richie. “Boys? What do you mean? I think they’re cool I guess-“  
“Romantically,” Eddie quickly cut him off, not meeting his gaze. “How do you feel about them romantically?”  
Richie was quiet, thinking about the question. He thought girls were pretty, but he had never really had a crush on one. He knew he could, but he had always been focused on someone else. He had always been focusing on one specific boy. Did him having feelings for Eddie mean he was gay? He didn’t think he was gay, he had only liked Eddie. He could feel the boy grow anxious next to him. “I like girls.. but boys are nice too. Why, you got someone in mind for me Eds?” Richie grinned at the boy.   
“Well- I- uh- not really- I mean yeah! No not really..” the smaller boy scrambled for an answer. Richie grabbed his hand. He took a deep breath, trying to get up the nerve to say his next words.   
“Well, I do. Eddie,” Richie took another deep breath, “will you... be my.. boyfriend?” The sentence was broken up and nervous. It came out quiet and his voice was high. Eddie turned to him, his face lit up, and Richie felt all of his nervousness melt away when Eddie threw his arms around him. 

 

Richie Tozier swore he would never kiss anyone

Richie couldn’t help himself. He had slowly been scooting closer to Eddie at the picnic table, and tried to walk as close to him as he could. He sat with him on rides, their yells tangling together. The fair was Richie’s favorite town event, and he was spending it focused on the short boy next to him.   
“W-w-who wants to g-go on the Ferris wh-wh-wheel?” Bill asked the Losers, their group being bigger than it was at the beginning of the summer, bonded deeper by forces they didn’t want to remember.   
Stan was the first to volunteer. “I’ll go with you, Bill.” Stan was calm when he said it, the only indicator that he had deeper feelings was the slight tingle of pink on his face, which Richie almost didn’t notice due to the darkness and colored lights. Bill smiled and motioned for his friend to follow him, getting in line.   
Ben looked over at Eddie and Richie, the two being nearly glued together on the side. “You two going on?”   
“I-uh..” Eddie started. He looked up at Richie, his big brown eyes peering up at him. Richie felt his heart skip a beat.   
“I think we’re gonna walk around, I still haven’t won Mrs. Kaspbrak a prize yet, I need to get her something else to remember me by,” Richie finished Eddie’s sentence. Eddie groaned next to him, shoving him lightly.   
“Alright, we’ll meet up with you guys when the ride is over,” Ben says, him and Mike heading over to the ride.   
Eddie and Richie walk away from the ride, the two walking so close that their hands are brushing. Richie craves to hold his hand, to pull him close, but he knows it’s dangerous. They walked around the park, eventually finding themselves at a secluded part of the park. They knew their friends would be fine without them for a minute.   
“I’ve had a lot of fun tonight, Rich,” Eddie looked up at Richie shyly. Richie finally took his hand. They couldn’t see the other blush.   
“Well of course, I’m here to deliver a good time. In fact, I think your mom said the same thing the-” Richie started to look up, as if he was thinking.   
“Shut up, Tozier!” Eddie yelled, hitting Richie softly in the side. Richie laughed, doubling over onto Eddie. Eddie turned to look at him, trying to conceal a smile at his boyfriend's laugh. Richie’s laughter quieted as he realized how close they were, their heads only a few inches apart. They both sat for a moment, just looking at each other, before Eddie leaned over and pressed his lips to Richie’s. Richie took Eddie’s face into his hands, enthusiastically kissing back. They pulled back, looking into each other’s eyes giddily. They were both smiling, and went back in for more. 

 

Richie Tozier swore he would never forget Eddie 

Eddie Kaspbrak has changed Richie Tozier’s life. Richie never wanted to let Eddie go, he never wanted to let the boy leave his arms, his sight, his thoughts. He never wanted to be without Eddie. And yet, here he was, on the verge of tears because he would have to do just that.   
Richie was trying to hold back his tears as Eddie tried to hide his. Richie held his love, held him so tight and so close that maybe, just maybe they could become part of each other and never have to be without the other.   
“I don’t- hic- want to leave,” Eddie says. His voice is small, and Richie just held him tighter. Maybe if he just held tighter. But he couldn’t hold him tight enough, because they separated, and Eddie still had tears on his cheeks and he still had to go. Morning would still come and then they we be separated. Richie gently grabbed Eddie’s face, kissing him as gently as he could. There was so much he wanted to say to Eddie, so much he wanted Eddie to understand. But there wasn’t enough time or enough words to express how he felt.   
“Promise me- sniffle- promise you won’t forget me, you won’t forget us,” Eddie asked once they had separated, close enough that Richie could feel his breath.   
“I swear on it, Eds. I’ll never forget, how could I?”  
“We don’t remember others! Like, like last week when Bill was talking about, who was it? Bev? When Bill was talking about Bev we didn’t remember! What if you-“  
“You’re different. I love you in a different way than them, Eds. I will do everything I can to not forget your pretty face. And your mom’s-“   
“Shut up, Richie!” Eddie yelled, but his voice was hoarse and wasn’t quite as loud as his normal yell. He grabbed the front of Richie’s shirt and put his forehead on Richie’s chest. “Do you promise?” His voice was quiet now, and Richie pulled his face back to look at him.   
“Promise.”   
They shared a few more kisses, a few more of their final jokes, but Richie knew their time was running short. He knew it would only be so long before Mrs. Kaspbrak called Eddie in and would tell Richie to leave with a snarl. Being closer to Eddie was all he could think of. Closer, closer, closer. So close that Eddie would become part of him. But Eddie wasn’t part of him, and Mrs. Kaspbrak came outside to tell them it was time for Richie to go home. Eddie asked for another moment, and she hesitantly obliged. She would have him all to herself soon, anyway.   
“Richie...” the way Eddie said his name, held his hand, the whole situation hit Richie like a wall and he started to cry.   
“I don’t want you to go either, Eddie Spaghetti. You’ve get to remember me, too, okay?” Richie held both of Eddie’s hands; the tears streaming freely down his face. Eddie had started crying again, sniffles coming from the smaller boy. “This isn’t a breakup. We’ll see each other again, so don’t forget,” Richie finished. They both knew there was a chance they wouldn’t see each other again, at least not for a long, long time. Richie’s parents didn’t care enough to take him to Eddie, and Eddie’s mother cared too much to bring him back.   
“I won’t forget, Richie. How could I? You- I love you,” Eddie choked out, and then softly kisses Richie. Richie pulls him close into a hug after they pull back from the kiss.  
“I love you too, Eds,” Richie whispers. And then there’s Mrs. Kaspbrak, calling Eddie in again. Eddie walks Richie to his bike, and after one final hug, they say their last goodbye and Richie rides off into the sunset.   
It only takes 3 weeks for what’s remaining of the other Losers to forget Eddie. Even with Richie bringing him up as often as possible, it gets to a point where he will say something about Eddie, and they’ll all look at him like he’s crazy. It takes Eddie 5 weeks to leave Richie’s mind. Richie tries to hold on, he can tell it’s an important memory, but soon the only thing he can remember is the feeling of a tight hug and terror. 

 

Richie Tozier swore he would never let him get hurt

After reuniting with all of his old friends, everything he knew about It came back. He knew what It was capable of. He also knew he couldn’t let his friends get hurt. Stan was already gone, Richie wasn’t sure any of them could handle losing one of their friends. So he made a silent promise to protect them. He also made a personal promise, a vow to his best friend and past lover- he couldn’t let anything separate the again.  
“Eds, I won’t let It get you,” he whispered late one night, when they were talking and catching up. They sat close like they did when they were kids, and both craved to hold hands, hold each other, like they used to.   
“I know, and I’ll protect you, Trashmouth,” Eddie quipped back, grinning softly at the old nicknames. They scooted impossibly closer to each other, yearning for the old touch of the other.  
The final fight had come, and Richie was finally aware of all his broken promises while holding Eddie in his arms. All Richie could do was cry, silently begging Eddie not to die. He didn’t care about the blood, he could only whisper quiet pleads and ‘I love you’ over and over. He knew Eddie could hear them, the fondness and affection and the small slope of Eddie’s smile was the only thing Richie could focus on. He begged whatever force there was in the universe, begged that stupid turtle that had created that stupid thing, to please, please not take Eddie. He had finally gotten him back. It was 20 years too late, but he had finally gotten him. He cursed at whatever cruel thing had allowed this. He offered his own life in exchange. Whatever it took to let Eddie live, he would do. But still, Eddie lay in his arms, whispering a quiet ‘I love you’ right back to him.   
“Don’t die on me, Eds,” Richie pleaded. Just a little longer, he wanted to say. You’ll be fine, just hang on, he wanted to assure him. But he couldn’t, he was too scared to lie to his best friend, his lover, and all Eddie could do was continue bleeding. His soft smile grew a little more, the affection in his eyes pulling Richie in.   
“Richie,” Eddie whispered, the word soft and fragile.   
“What?” Richie said through his tears, biting his lip. Longer, please.   
“Don’t call me Eds…” he said, raising his hand to Richie’s cheek, “You know I… I…” Eddie choked out, not able to finish his thoughts. A final tease, a final and silent ‘I love you.’ Richie sobbed, pulling Eddie closer. He begged for longer, just a little longer, but Eddie was gone. Eddie had kept his promise, and protected his friends, protected Richie. All Richie could do was wish he could have done the same.

 

Richie Tozier swore he would never get married

Richie had made this promise to himself at his dinner table one night. He made it while thinking of big brown eyes, a soft smile, a nose splattered with freckles. Most nights he was drunk when he thought of his past love, but tonight he was completely sober, looking through old pictures he had managed to get his hands on from Mike while back in Derry. He had many favorites from the bunch, one of him, Stan, Bill and Eddie on their bikes in the summer, just 4 kids who didn’t know what was to come. Another was a picture of all the Losers. It was a copy of the original, slightly fuzzy and worn. He gazed at it fondly, remembering the actual good times they had all had together. The last was of him and Eddie. They were young, just before Richie asked Eddie out. The two boys were eating ice cream in the picture, and Richie remembered that Eddie had bought it while Richie was trying to steal some instrument from a band member. There was no warning before the picture, both being caught in the moment of being together and the ice cream.   
Richie couldn’t forget those brown eyes, or his voice when they bickered. Sometimes he thought about how Eddie would feel in his arms now, without all the blood and crying. Just the pure love they felt for each other. Richie knew he would never get married; his heart had been given away so long ago. Richie could live with that, as long as he knew Eddie would be waiting for him in the end.


End file.
